The present invention relates to transmission of light beams, and, more particularly, is directed to an optical splitter/multiplexer for switching light beams of different wavelengths in a multi-directional manner.
In communications applications, light beams are used for transmitting signals. Generally, an optical source converts an electrical signal, either digital or analog, to a suitably modulated light beam which is passed through at least one optical module to an optical detector that extracts an electrical signal from the received light beam.
Typically, a station transmits light carrying a communication signal at a first wavelength through an optical fiber to a destination, such as a home. The station also receives, through the same optical fiber, light carrying a different communication signal at the first wavelength from the home. The light beams to and from the destination do not interfere with each other over short distances. Interference is also prevented by sharing the fiber in a time division multiplexed manner.
Newer architectures for higher communication bandwidths have proposed transmission of multiple light beams at respectively different wavelengths along the same optical fiber. However, optical modules capable of accommodating multiple light beams at different wavelengths travelling in multiple directions are not readily available.